1233. Iron Savior / Unification. 1999. 4/5

Iron Savior from the outset was created as a band that, rather than to produce a concept album singularly, as was their debut album, but was to become a concept band, a somewhat unique thing in the history of metal music. The success of their self titled debut album led the band to continue on their journey with their second album which was titled “Unification”.
Following the release of that debut album, the band had gone on tour to support it, but the difficulty that the band found in preparing for a follow up release was having to work in with the schedule of guitarist Kai Hansen, whose number one priority was his own band Gamma Ray. Band leader Piet Sielck once again was the almost sole contributor to the writing and composing of the songs, apart from two tracks submitted by Hansen, on which he also contributed lead vocals in the process. The obvious problem of involving anyone else was that because this album continued the story that was begun on the debut album, one would have to know how that story was to progress, and given it came from Sielck’s mind he was left with the writing himself.
With the first album mostly recorded by Sielck and Hansen alongside drummer Thomas Stauch, this album brought on board the touring band to continue into the studio. This included Andreas Kuck on keyboards, Jan-Soren Eckert on bass, a position he has filled right to the current day, and Dan Zimmermann on drums, which only lasted this album before moving on to fill the same role for Gamma Ray. The recording was pieced together during Hansen’s availability both with Gamma Ray’s touring commitments and their own writing for their follow up to their “Somewhere Out in Space” album. These conflicts in time did eventually lead to Kai having to move on from Iron Savior, but at this point he was still actively involved in keeping the band on the rise in the European power metal community.

The album picks up the story where it was left off at the conclusion of the debut album. The Iron Savior, a gigantic machine built to defend Atlantis, has through the course of the story now come to believe that humans are the destroyer of Atlantis, and as such has set itself to wipe them off the face of the planet. The story moves on from this point, drawing in new heroes and another fleet of aliens from outer space, and by the time you reach the end of the album another cliffhanger is composed, such that the story will continue into the next album.
Now, I do have to say here, just like I did in my review of the debut album back in Season 2 of this podcast, it really isn’t necessary to know, to follow or to care about the story the album is telling. Yes, the concept story is there throughout all of the tracks and can be followed and enjoyed if you like, but it is not necessary to know it to enjoy the album. Indeed, a simple enjoyment of typical power metal music is more than enough to gain something from this album.
The opening tracks are a great start to the album as a whole. “Coming Home” opens at a good pace, with Piet soaring in vocals and encouraging you to sing along with him. Most of these charging songs have a choral backing with Kai, Andreas and Jan all contributing in this fashion. “Starborn” moves in the same direction, the great vocals backed by the humming guitars and Dan’s excellent drumwork driving the songs along. “Deadly Sleep” has always been a favourite, most probably because it is not only written by Kai Hansen but features him on lead vocals as well as guitar. It does still have that Gamma Ray feel about it but is differed enough to not make it sound like it was written for his primary band. “Forces of Rage” returns to the Piet Sielck style of song for the band, more frantic and less melodic in both guitars and vocals, and segues into the spoken word of “Captain’s Log”. This blasts straight back into the fire and brimstone of the album with “Brothers (of the Past), which showcases the exuberance of the best songs by this band, always at a faster pace with lots of fast riffing and great double kick drumming. “Eye to Eye” follows in a more melodic and anthemic way, with great vocals from Piet bringing the best out of the song. This jumps right in to “Mind Over Matter” which has a wonderful dual melodic guitar solo section through the middle of the song that equals all of those from the other songs on this album.
The only disappointment on the album turns out to be the final track, “Forevermore”, written by Kai and also with lead vocals by him. While not a genuine power ballad, this song acts in that way, the anthemic ‘feel-good’ wrap up of the story to this point, and while it is performed well, the keyboard and synth based track just falls out of place from the genuine metal feel of the rest of the album. The only saving grace in this is that the CD has two bonus tracks, with the band covering ai’s own “Gorgar” from Helloween’s “Walls of Jericho” album, and also Black Sabbath’s “Neon Knights”, which releases that slightly bitter taste from the mouth by the end.
Like the best European metal bands, Iron Savior are served wonderfully well by their twin guitar attack, and it is the star attraction of this album. Kai is a legend of the genre, one of the best guitarist/vocalists in a genre of music he was a proponent of inventing. Piet follows suit, and given these two were playing together in school you can hear how well their partnership in playing and collaborating works. “Prisoner of the Void” is another belter, and along with “The Battle” and “Unchained” not only outline the escalation of the story being told but also drive the album to its final conclusion in style.

The debut album, the self titled “Iron Savior” was a good album, a nice way to enter into the marketplace. This album is much better, both in song quality, production, writing and playing. It steps everything up a notch and it is noticeable from the outset. All of this is a reason why this is an improvement, but the fact that the band that toured together prior to this album being written and recorded must act as a major part of this. They were a solid unit entering the studio, and in particular the addition of Dan Zimmermann on drums, who had previously been in Freedom Call and from this album transferred his marvellous skills to Gamma Ray. Jan-Soren Eckert on bass is also fantastic and does a terrific job. But obviously, the star attractions and heavy lifting comes from Piet Sielck, the band leader, guitarist and vocalist and his long time mate Kai Hansen, in the same roles.
I have had this album since it was released, and it has had a couple of stages in the years since when it has been in the CD player for some time going over and over. Of my friend group, and of most people who I know who listen to heavy metal music, I am the only one who has found and loved Iron Savior, and for them, that is most unfortunate. The more I listen to the band, especially in this era of their first five albums, the more I enjoy them. This album especially, having had it running again for over three weeks in preparation for this episode, has given me more than I expected once again. I find more in the relationship on guitar between Kai and Piet, I find more in the rhythm of Jan-Soren and Dan, and I find more in the songs as well. Even in the Iron Savior fan base, this album seems to be unfairly underrated in my opinion. Musically it is at the top of the tree for its genre at the time it was released. And unlike many of the bands it was up against, the fact that it is a twin guitar set up and not a guitar and keyboard band always gives their songs more oomph, more power, more guitar driving throughout.
This is still a terrific album. And what’s more, the albums that follow are arguably better, at least for a time. For a band that no one in Australia at least seems to know, I still think this album holds up after 25 years. The only thing that scares me is that it is 25 years since this was released. It seems frighteningly much less years ago than that.

943. Iron Savior / Rise of the Hero. 2014. 4/5

While other bands out there in the musicverse seem to get a little soft in the middle regions as they get a little older or a little more comfortable, there are bands like Iron Savior. While there have been a couple of moments on their previous two albums where one could begin to believe that the above malady had begun to creep into their work ethic (and it should be mentioned that it was really only the odd moment), it appears that the band has had an epiphany. Maybe not a complete one, but the result here on Rise of the Hero is an album that feels closer to the best values that Iron Savior based their success on - speed, fire, and raise your fist and yell. It's not all M&M's and Skittles, but in general the power settles firmly throughout.

The first half of the album is what gets your blood pumping with enthusiasm for the cause. The songs all have Piet Sielck's vocals at their most energetic, climbing above the music in chorus and becoming the front half of each song, dominating with his powerful intent. This is when he sounds at his best, and when that occurs the songs can only benefit. The other pieces of the puzzle fall into place as well. It's the double kick drumming, combined with the 2/4 timing and well formed drum rolls that help to set the pace of the music, and drive it along such that it feels like that atypical power metal speed. Thomas Nack has a... well... a knack... of making this happen, and his precision is as impressive as always here in being the driving force of the music. Add to this the excellent underscored bass work from Jan-Sören Eckert, who again manages to run up and down the neck of his instrument in such a way that it improves the bottom end sensationally without over imposing itself, and the rhythm section holds together each song wonderfully well. And, as always, the duelling and harmonising guitars of Sielck and Joachim "Piesel" Küstner fill the air with that power metal magic combination.
The instrumental "Ascendence" into "Last Hero" is naturally anthemic, encouraging you to sing along with the chorus with gusto. In fact, I just did again as it was playing for this review. This is followed by "Revenge of the Bride", utilising that part of Iron Savior that I enjoy immensely, with Piet singing over just the drums and bass during the start of the verse, before the guitars bust in and help raise the roof into the solo section. Great stuff. And then by god they fly into "From Far Beyond Time", hardly stopping for breath. The mix of excess speed and standard speed in this song (yeah, that's hard to describe, but let's just say that there is a two different levels of fast power metal speed in there) is perfect, and the band shifts gears without any hiccups along the way. "Burning Heart" moves concurrently into "Thunder From the Mountains" and into the power anthem "Iron Warrior", with all songs utilising the same great techniques as the songs that came before them.
Given the excellence of the first half of the album, what comes afterwards may not be of quite the same standard, but is mostly forgivable in the whole scheme of the album. "Dragon King" isn't terribly ordinary, but the strength of the earlier tracks doesn't filter through here. The slower tempo and what sounds like a formula driven lyrical and vocal set up does tend to halt the momentum that has been created to this point. The cover of Swedish pop band song Mando Diao's "Dance With Somebody" is an... interesting piece. I don't know the original at all, but you can notice the difference between this song and the others on the album. I wouldn't say it is a favourite, but I do find myself tapping along with it whenever it comes on. "The Demon" is as close to a ballad as the band comes to on this album, and in its way it is perhaps only the first half of the song that tends this way. Still, me and power ballads... not a good combination. However, the songs directly before and after this are great. "Firestorm" rips along and is fired up by Piet's vocals, dragging the back half of the album up with its ferocity, while album closer "Fistraiser" again invokes the call to heavy metal both vocally and musically, and finishes off the band's latest work on the front foot.

Quite honestly, Iron Savior is a band whose albums I can, at any time, grab and put on the stereo, and enjoy whether loud and cranking and singing at the top of my lungs, or in the background while talking with others around. While their work would not make any "Best Albums Of All Time" lists I might make, as a collected works they would rank very highly, and this album continues that trend. Perhaps more importantly, I don't consider that they have any dud albums, and that is quite a task. If you like their earlier work, you will enjoy this thoroughly.

Rating:   "Raise your fist and set your spirit free, Heavy metal is our deal".  4/5

942. Iron Savior / The Landing. 2011. 3.5/5

It's been a good trip, this Iron Savior thing. When I first discovered them with their first album closing in on 20 years ago, I really thought it was going to be a short lived side project for Piet Sielck and Kai Hansen, and then the music world would return to normal. Kai eventually couldn't find time to commit any longer, but the band has remained, and has continued to put out quality power metal albums that have been solidly excellent through that time. The latest in that production line is The Landing.

Changes are afoot, though they don't start with this album. It is still a quite noticeable shift in tempo with this album from earlier releases. In many ways it is happening across the board with bands of this ilk, that as they age and mature, the music just isn't as fast and frantic as it was in the beginning. What we have here there is less a power metal album than an old fashioned heavy metal album. Several of the songs have settled back into a mid paced groove, from which they don't get out of for the entire song. This is not meant to be criticism per se, but more an admission that even Iron Savior, whom I had believed were one of the torchbearers of the fast and furious power metal posse, were even beginning to re-evaluate their music. And again let me state that there is not a drop in quality, but only in speed intensity, thus requiring this album to be approached in a different way than just looking for the fast head banging style of yore.
The early judging of this change comes in the first two songs. The opening of "Descending" moves into "The Savior", a mid-tempo opening track that enforces a chanting chorus that is accompanied by a solid drum backing and rigid back track. For many other bands this would probably suffice, and suffice well. The change is significant as we plunge into "Starlight" which burst out of the speakers at high speed and volume, the double kick drums careering along with the dual guitar riffing, and Piet's vocals soaring over the top. This is the kind of song that Iron Savior has specialised in, and is pretty much what I am looking for when I put on an Iron Savior album. Great stuff. This is where the two entities collide, and the choice between the styles is most stark. "March of Doom" continues in this vein, a rollicking journey with great guitars and fabulous drum work. This is then followed by the anthemic "Heavy Metal Never Dies" which falls back into the simplified drums and guitars that were found in the opening track. Yes, this is more uniquely heavy metal, and is as enjoyable as any other song from this band. It's just a change from the band's usual modus operandi.
The middle of the album mixes these two styles in competing formats. While songs such as "Moment in Time" are in that historical Iron Savior format of speed and soaring, you have the more traditional heavy mid-tempo songs like "Hall of the Heroes" also within the framework. For the most part, they are ordered such that the transition between the two style of metal songs fit together in an enjoyable atmosphere. "R.U. Ready" acts as a history to metal, lyrically incorporating bands and album names within the lyrics for an enjoyable walk down memory lane, before "Faster Than All" keeps the ball rolling.
Some don't work for me at all. The melancholic and morbid wailings of "Before the Pain" are a long way from what I am looking for in an Iron Savior song. the ability to transcend genres, to push your music to the limits, to prove that you are not a one trick pony when it comes to your music - yeah, I can see why bands must play with the devil and give this kind of stuff a go. Some will enjoy songs like this, but for me, although I don't think this can be labelled a ballad of any description, all this does is kills the momentum of the album, and invites the use of the skip function. At the very least, the following song "No Guts No Glory" picks the flotsam off the floor and gives a stronger performance in which to close the album out, without the speed and double kick drums that one would like to hear to complete the disc, but still an attempt to give an anthemic conclusion to the album.

The positive of this album for me is that I can still put this on at any time, and listen to it without any reservations. It's different when you sit down and listen to an album to critically review it, as I have done here again over the past couple of days. That's when you must truly pull it apart and look for the way you really feel deep down about the structure of the album, and each track involved. Once that has been done, the real judging of an album comes down to whether or not you still like it whenever you happen to put it on. The answer here is still a categorical "yes".

Rating:  "1967, a thunder in the night, a blazing star played his guitar and metal did ignite"  3.5/5

939. Iron Savior / Live at the Final Frontier. 2015. 4/5

For those of us who have followed the course of Iron Savior's career, it has been an enjoyable and enthralling ride. No doubt those who live on the continent have also had the please of seeing the band live, but for those of us stuck on a huge island in the south of the planet, we have not had that pleasure. So the release of a live album - along with a live DVD of the same performance from Hamburg in January 2015 - at least finally gives us a taste of how the band translates their excellent material from the studio to the stage.

Recorded on the tour to promote the Rise of the Hero album, this album contains work from throughout their career. The set list perfectly represents the new material that the band is touring to promote, as well as the better material from the past, the songs that are the lifeblood of the band. The opening intro of "Ascendance" flows straight into the anthemic "Last Hero" which starts the album off on the right foot. Other songs from the latest release here are "Revenge of the Bride" and "Burning Heart" which both come at the front of the set list, allowing a progression to the material that the punters know so well to come through in the second half of the set. Perhaps a little surprisingly, there are actually five songs here that come from the previous album The Landing, on which the previous tour would have been based around. It is a strange occurrence in the modern touring cycle for this to happen, but that is not to say that the songs don't deserve their place. "The Savior", "Starlight", "Hall of the Heroes", "R.U. Ready" and the ready made anthem "Heavy Metal Never Dies" are all the basis of the strength of that album, and all are performed here with gusto. The older material is made up of the songs that have stood the test of time, and demand their selection within the set list, the ones all fans know, such as "Condition Red", "Break the Curse", "I've Been to Hell", "Coming Home" and "Atlantis Falling".
I must admit that I am a bit ambivalent about certain medley's, and the one here, entitled "Iron Watcher" gets me too. Two of the most important songs in Iron Savior's history are from that debut album, and happen to be "Iron Savior" and "Watcher in the Sky". And yet here we only get half of each, pasted together. OK, so maybe we want to concentrate on the recently released songs, but these are synonymous with the band. Anyway, it's a small gripe, and it still sounds great.
The vocals from Piet Sielck and Jan-Sören Eckert blend terrifically well here for the most part, giving us at least a piece of the multi-layered harmony that exists on the studio albums. Piet's vocals come across here very well, and while some criticism has existed that he is too one dimensional when it comes to his voice, I personally think he knows what he can do with his voice and he makes the maximum capacity from that. It's a unique voice, one that is instantly recognisable. He sounds great on this recording. Both are also very good on their respective instruments, as are guitarist Joachim "Piesel" Küstner and drummer Thomas Nack.

As a fan I find this an enjoyable outing, showing that the band can back up their excellence in the studio by playing it live as well. Perhaps it isn't as ground breaking as some other live albums through the past 40 years or so, and it probably won't be one that is brought up in conversation as such. But as a testament to the band in question, it provides an excellent riposte in the career of this hard working and perhaps undervalued group.

Rating:  "I'm a watcher in the sky, I see universes' die"  4/5.

834. Iron Savior / Megatropolis. 2007. 3.5/5

Iron Savior have been somewhat of a measuring stick in regards to power metal in the European union over the past 15 to 20 years. While other bands of the genre seem to have their highs and lows in regards to output and the quality of the material they release, Iron Savior has been remarkably consistent throughout. It would probably be a step too far to suggest that they have released some timeless, unforgettable albums, but in almost every regard each album they have released has been of a high quality and wonderfully enjoyable. On Megatropolis perhaps that has slipped just a little, but that doesn't mean it also is not a very good album.

What I like about Iron Savior's music is that it is always upbeat, and rarely gets bogged down in slower numbers that can really kill the momentum of an album. Once again it starts off in a typically pacey manner, fuelled by Piet Sielck's vocal chords and typical guitar riff, along with the rumbling bass guitar on the bottom end and double kick keeping everything together and constrained. "Running Riot" has all of those qualities which mark an atypical Iron Savior start. This is followed by "The Omega Man" which has always been one of my favourites off the album. It has a great riff, a great feel, and Piet moves his way up the vocal scale during the song which increases and enhances the mood of the song as it is required. "Flesh" actually comes across as a very unusual song for this band, but it is surprisingly effective. It is of a slower, heavier tempo with a very un-power metal riff. It is much closer to traditional metal song than that. "Megatropolis" returns us back to the fast paced riffing and drumming that the band is renown for, with great harmony guitars through the middle of the song as well as resplendent with individual solos.
The middle four songs are good solid songs without being outstanding in any respect. "Cybernetic Queen" and "Cyber Hero" both play along with a pleasing beat and nice harmony vocals from Piet. "A Tale From Down Below" and "I Still Believe" both offer mid-tempo ranges throughout. The album finishes with a flourish, and the show closing number "Farewell and Good Bye" feels like the last number of a musical, ending the show on an upward inflection of the final act closes and the curtain falls. I think it is a great song to close out the album, full of lament and emotion from the central character of the song. Excellent stuff.

Megatropolis probably doesn't ring my bells as much as previous albums did, but having said that there are some terrific songs on here, highlighted by the two opening tracks and the final song. Newcomers to this band would probably listen to this album and suggest that it is really all very straight forward without being spectacular. I don't think that opinion is very far off the mark, but it is what fans of the band can squeeze from behind these first observations that make it rank above the average in those respects.

Rating:  'Cause after all I'm just a man, with a broken dream, not man and not machine.  3.5/5

577. Iron Savior / Iron Savior. 1997. 3.5/5

When you set yourself up to write a story, it needs to be one that is engaging, even if it is only the basis of a music album. Given that it is also the first album you put out as a band, it would want to be a little higher on the scale, otherwise it will be picked to pieces. Iron Savior probably didn’t have a lot to lose, but maybe just a point to prove. Given those who were involved in the infancy of the band, those of us who bought the album when it first came out expected a great deal.

It starts off with the right credentials for a power metal album. The songs are driven by Thomas Stauch’s double kick and the twin guitars of Sielck and Hansen. Piet Sielck’s vocals are adequate – perhaps a little rough around the edges, but for the most part are good enough to get away with. “Atlantis Falling”, “Brave New World”, “Iron Savior” and “Riding on Fire” are all good mood songs, with “Riding on Fire” a particular favourite of mine.
The middle of the album seems to get tied down with emulating a stereo-typical power metal album, by throwing in the slow power ballad-ish type song. All this does is interrupt the flow of the album, thus either sending the listener to sleep, or encouraging them to skip the song(s) or turn it off. As can be seen from my other reviews of such albums, this is a common complaint of mine, and to my ears at least tends to bring an album down.
The glittering diamond of this album is that Gamma Ray’s Kai Hansen, one of Sielck’s best friends plays, sings and must surely have been more involved in the writing than has ever been actually said. Kai’s song “Watcher in the Sky”, the only song he performs lead vocals on, featured on the Gamma Ray album Somewhere Out in Space as a precursor to this album being released. This no doubt served two purposes – one, it is Kai’s song, and he wanted it to still be a part of his band, and two, to funnel the Gamma Ray fan base toward buying this album and experiencing what it had to offer. Though I may be biased, “Watcher in the Sky” is the best song on the album. Hansi Kursch of Blind Guardian also lends his vocal support on the song “For the World” which follows, and it is these two songs that bring the album back up a notch at the end, which comes with the Nazareth cover “This Flight Tonight”.

This is a more than respectable debut album, with all its flaws and highlights. Better was to come down the road, when the band had ironed out the kinks and discovered the sound it really wanted.

569. Iron Savior / Interlude. 1999. 3.5/5

Following on the heels of their impressive first two albums, this EP (in name only, surely) is a welcome follow up as the band stopped to catch their breath.

The first five songs were all recorded live during the band’s set at Wacken Open Air festival in 1998.
The live versions of these songs are interesting. All the studio versions have Piet Sielck’s vocals layered through them, which makes a great effect in the studio. Out here live, though, and without that ability, they have a different quality. “Iron Savior” doesn’t have quite the same feel as the original because of this. “Riding on Fire” sounds great still, with Kai’s backing vocals complementing brilliantly. “Watcher in the Sky” is still Kai’s song, and he executes it perfectly.

Four new studio songs have been added after this. All are similar in nature to those found off the band’s second album, Unification. They have a very B-side feel to them, as though they were left-over songs from their last effort, and have been added here to ensure they are used. “The Hatchet of War” is probably the best of these four songs.
The final song is a cover of Judas Priest’s “Desert Plains”, the band being an obvious influence on all the band members youth.

In all, that makes ten songs on this ‘EP’, which is great value for the fans. The disc also has video of the Wacken gig which can be seen on a computer, and has been often on mine.
This is a worthwhile listen, if only for the fact that it has the only live material so far released by the band, and has Kai Hansen heavily involved, which can only be a bonus.

520. Iron Savior / I've Been To Hell [Single]. 2000. 4/5

This single comes from the Dark Assault album, and apart from the excellent single itself, it also has another track from the album, “Never Say Die”.
As also found here is a great cover of Judas Priest’s “The Hellion” and “Electric Eye” and Krokus' “Headhunter”.

Rating: Excellent single package. 4/5.

208. Iron Savior / Dark Assault. 2000. 4/5

The next installment in the saga of Iron Savior... though if you are like me, you were just looking forward to the music...

My admiration for this band has been well publicised in this journal already, so I will refrain from going overboard. But they have once again excelled themselves with this product.

A list of my favourite songs here would no doubt include Never Say Die, Seek And Destroy, Dragons Rising, Made Of Metal, Eye Of The World and After The War.

Rating : I could continue gushing, but take my word for it – this album is the equal of all of their others, something rather unique in the metal world. 4/5.

182. Iron Savior / Condition Red. 2002. 4/5.

Another excellent release from this concept band, the fourth in the series about the fictional story of Iron Savior.

This was the first album the band put out without Kai Hansen, but as much as he was the reason I bought the first album of this band in the first place, this album stands alone without his influence. Of course, Piet Sielk has always been the ringleader of Iron Savior, and this is another great example of his work.

You don't have to know the story being told here to enjoy the album. In fact, ignore all of the past history of the band, and enjoy the album as a singular entity, and it won't lose anything in comparison. The “continuing story” may be important to some fans. To me however, the music and the songs are all that matter, and here they continue to be of the highest standard.

My favourites from the album include Titans Of Our Time, Protector, Condition Red, Walls Of Fire, No Heroes and Thunderbird.

Rating : More great power metal. 4/5.

107. Iron Savior / Battering Ram. 2004. 4/5.

I cannot help but continue to be impressed by this band – the concept band, not the concept album.

On this release, Iron Savior continue their progression into power metal's top echelon, continuing to drive their music to greater heights, even becoming heavier. In many ways, they appear to be modelling their progression on the greatest band of all, Gamma Ray. This is no real surprise, given Kai Hansen's involvement in the early albums, and his friendship with band leader, Piet Sielk.

Stand out tracks on the album include Battering Ram, Break The Curse, Stand Against The King, Time Will Tell, Riding Free and H M Powered Man.

Rating : This album continues to grow on me whenever I listen to it. A fan of power metal will love this, those that are not will probably not appreciate it as much. 4/5.